Payroll Specialist (FTC)

Overview

In this fixed-term role, you will deliver accurate UK and ROI payroll for a large workforce while supporting end-to-end processes and compliance. You will back the Payroll Manager, manage risks, and drive improvements in a global payroll context. You’ll work across payroll, governance, and wider business teams to ensure timely, audit-ready outputs. This role offers a pathway to deepen payroll leadership and contribute to Primark’s people-first culture and growth.

Pay / Benefits

• healthcare
• pension
• potential bonus
• 27 days of leave + bank holidays + option to buy 5 more
• Tax Saver Tickets
• fitness centre access or subsidy investment in wellbeing

Responsibilities

• Deliver in-house payroll for over 33,000 UK and ROI colleagues with end-to-end processing and reconciliations
• Support and deputise for the Payroll Manager, managing deadlines and risks
• Maintain compliance and audit-readiness, including legislation, pensions, returns, and year-end processes
• Handle a complex payroll workload with high attention to detail and review complex correspondence
• Drive continuous improvement, support BAU projects, and coordinate with global payroll teams
• Build relationships across payroll, compliance, governance, and business units; coach and support colleagues

Key requirements

• 5+ years’ payroll experience or equivalent mix of payroll and industry experience
• Hands-on knowledge of SAP Payroll (UK) and Mega Pay (ROI)
• Strong technical and legislative knowledge: tax regulations, pensions, statutory returns, year-end processes
• Hands-on problem solver with detailed understanding of team payrolls
• Highly organized, able to manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines
• Collaborative with strong interpersonal skills and ability to escalate when needed
• High integrity, professionalism, attention to detail, intermediate Excel/MS skills, able to work with minimal supervision

• collaborative
• interpersonal communication
• coaching
• SAP Payroll (UK)
• Mega Pay (ROI)
• tax regulations

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